Amnesty International Salisbury Group

Minutes of the Monthly Meeting on Thursday 13th June 2019 7.30 pm 4 Victoria Road

1 Chairman’s Welcome Present: Andrew, Tony, Fiona, Eddie, Peter, Lesley, Michael S (part)Apologies: Ria, Effie, Michael P

AH

2 Minutes of previous Meeting – These were agreed. AH

3 Treasurer’s Report - £810.50 (Bank Account) £30.06 (Cash)

MP

4 Campaign Reports

Death Penalty

Please see the Salisbury Group Website www.salisburyai.com for the full international update covering Bangladesh, the USA, Brunei, Bahrain, Egypt, Gambia, Iran, Nigeria, Iraq/France, Pope Francis, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan/Canada.

Of particular note:

Asia Bibi has left Pakistan for Canada a free woman

Abdul Momen, Foreign Minister, has told the BBC that Shamima Begum, stripped of her British citizenship in February, has ‘nothing to do’ with his country, and would face the death penalty for terrorism should she come to Bangladesh.

In New Hampshire the State Senate passed the bill to over-ride Governor Sununu’s veto of the repeal of the death penalty.

Two prisoners – Michael Brandon Samra and Christopher

LC

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Lee Price – were executed in Alabama, and one – Donnie Edward Johnson – in Tennessee.

Figures released by the Death Penalty Information Centre show a bleak picture of racial discrimination in the numbers of executions carried out in the USA. 50% of murder victims are white but, of the 1,499 executions carried out since 9974, 76% were for crimes against white people, compared to 15% when the victims were black.

Following international criticism at his announcement that sodomy, adultery and rape would be punishable by death, the Sultan of Brunei has stated that the death penalty would not be enforced in the implementation of the Sharia Penal Code Order.

Amnesty have called on Saudi Arabia to rule out the death penalty for Murtaja Qureiris, arrested five years ago at the age of 13 for participating in protests against the Government, and who has been in prison since then. Now 18, Qureiris faces possible execution for a series of offences, some of which date back to the age of 10. According to Amnesty, he was denied access to a lawyer until his first court session in August 2018. He is currently awaiting his next session in court.

In a welcome step towards abolition, the President of Gambia has commuted the death sentences of 22 prisoners to life imprisonment. This followed an Amnesty International mission to Gambia to present to the authorities a series of recommendations covering 10 areas of reform to protect and promote human rights. The recommendations included the abolition of the death penalty and the commutation of all death sentences to terms of life imprisonment.

Urgent Actions

Iran – UA 61/19 – Abdullah Karmollah Chab and Ghassem Abdullah, from Iran’s Ahwazi Arab minority, are facing the death penalty following a grossly unfair trial. They have said their ‘confessions’ were obtained under torture and other ill-treatment . Their cases are now before the Supreme Court. Letters or emails should be sent to Ebrahim Raisi, Head of the Judiciary. (Circulated to DPLWG 10.5.19).

Bahrain – UA69/17 – Update – The Court of Cassation has upheld the convictions and death sentences of Ali Mohamed Hakeem al-Arab and Ahmed Issa al-Malali, and their sentences are to go to the King for ratification. Letters of appeal should be sent to the King. (Circulated to DPLWG

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27.5.19 - This month’s Group Urgent Action.)

Egypt – A petition to Teresa May was received from Reprieve, asking her to intercede on behalf of Ahmed Saddouma, who was arrested at 17, charged with terrorism acts and, following a mass trial, sentenced to death. He is now 18 and was scheduled to be executed on 8th June. (Circulated to DPLWG 28.5.19.) Information was subsequently received from Reprieve that the Court finally acknowledged Ahmed was only 17 at the time of his alleged offence and should not have been facing the death penalty. His sentence has been cut down to 15 years. This is not justice, but his life is no longer under imminent threat.

Campaigning

Charity Witness Project – Information has now been received from James Earley that he is now involved with two Projects – Charity Witness and Witness to Innocence. He will be going to the US in September, and will let us know details once he has the exact dates and more information.

In the Executioner’s Shadow – No further information has been received from Mike Quinn regarding the outcome of his contact with Sideways Film.

Dates for the calendar –

o World Day Against the Death Penalty – 10th October

o 50th anniversary of the abolition of the death penalty in the UK – 16th December

For Information – As part of ITV’s Crime and Punishment strand, ITV are showing a two-part series which they say gives ‘an unprecedented look into the lives of the inmates who are on Death Row’ in the State of Texas. The first episode was shown at 9.00 pm on Thursday 13th June (to be repeated on Tuesday 18th June at 11.05 pm, and the second on Thursday 20th June, again at 9.00 pm (date of repeat to be confirmed.)

North Korea

The South Korea-based Transitional Working Group has identified 323 public execution sites in North Korea in a report based on interviews with more than 600 North Korean defectors. Follow the link for the article published in The Independent on 12.6.19.

TM

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Jihyun Park has asked for details of an event to be shared – Getting into North Korea’s Human Rights through music, art and Culture…. The event takes place in Berlin on 6th and 7th July. (Follow the link for full information.) It was agreed that the £146 collected at Jihyun’s talk in March 2017 should be donated in support of the event – AH to liaise with MP.

Refugees

Refugee Week takes place from 17th to 23rd June. Events closest to Salisbury are being organised by the local groups in Bristol and Cheltenham.

It was agreed that holding a further Refugee Vigil should be deferred until later in the year.

A petition focusing on a current issue regarding refugees could be included in the forthcoming coffee morning at St Thomas’s (7th September.)

A brief discussion was held regarding the option of replacing our Refugee Campaign with an alternative. The group were reluctant to do so, particularly as the fall-out from Brexit might have repercussions over the next few months.

AH

5 Social Media Report

Web and other media statistics, May 2019

A quiet month due to a lack of content. Facebook continues to show greater activity.

Web siteThe figures are:

Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May 177 166 132 135 157 281 176

ViewsAll time: 13,377An increase in followers to 388, an increase of 5 so we may have 400 before long.

Top 3 country views:May

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UK 148USA 41Somalia 19

This is the first time Somalia – indeed any African state – has featured in the top three.

Most views are from the UK and this has been a feature recently. UK and USA were often level peggings. Other countries showed very small numbers.

Top posts: 1. About us with all-time views at 2552. Tapestry and all-time views 1043. Yemen: Britain’s hidden war

Twitter

A quieter month with one tweet achieving a lot of interest. Impressions:

Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May1624 1593 1401 1550 4870 2710 1376

The top tweets:

Market stall we did last Saturday Top media tweet: the Trump protest we did on the steps of

the Guildhall

An increase in followers to 153.

FacebookA much quieter month with a reach of 106. However, there were only 3 posts

Feb Mar April May160 376 250 106 Top posts:

Paul Mason’s visit The prime ministerial contender’s poor human rights records

Tumbler

We have 9 followers and 17 following – no change

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YouTube & Flickr

No major changes to report. The YouTube North Korea video has had 2,088 views and 1,086 views on Flickr and the still image, 5,217. So total video views are 3,174.

Group Web site: www.salisburyai.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/salisburyai

Facebook: www.facebook.com/salisburyai

Tumblr: www.salisburyai.tumblr.com

Content always welcome!

6 Monthly Action

Refugee Week – see above.

Pride Festivals – Groups are invited to check when their local Pride event is taking place this year. Amnesty Guidelines for Activists are available, and materials can be ordered from Rainbow Network.

Amnesty’s Next Global Strategy – Groups are invited to discuss the 5 Big Questions and to provide feedback. AH will circulate information to the Committee, with a request for feedback by the end of June. The wider membership is welcome to follow the link above and forward any responses to ra.hemming@btinternet.com. AH will then co-ordinate a response to AIHQ.

All

7 Paul Mason

Paul Mason has, unfortunately, had to postpone his talk as he has to go into hospital. Please note the event, originally booked for 24th

June, has been cancelled. It is hoped to arrange the talk for September/October – TBC.

PC

8 Market Stall

This took place on Saturday 8th June and raised £227.10. Many thanks to all who helped or who donated items. £25.00 is to be paid for the stall. It was agreed that next year’s event should take place again on a Saturday in June.

AH

9 Coffee Morning at St Thomas’s

This will take place on the morning of Saturday 7th September.

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Contributions of home-made or bought cakes welcome. It is hoped to show the film about the Wiltshire Refugee Scheme on a loop, and to include a petition for refugees.

10 Citizenship Day

The revised presentation is nearing completion, and a summary version will be shown to the group. AH will request confirmation of the date.

AHFDRW

11 Write for Rights

Replies have been received from the Outreach and Education Manager and Canon Chancellor of the Cathedral suggesting a meeting. AH will liaise, asking for a date in July, at which he possibility of the Cathedral offering a venue for Write for Rights will be raised. AH and PC to attend.

AHAll

12 Evensong at the Cathedral

A reply has been received suggesting a meeting with the Precentor.The possibility of inviting Ben Rogers to speak will be raised.

TMAll

13 Group Finder

Amnesty have advised local groups that they are making changes to the Group Finder on their website, and need to confirm some information with them. They will be emailing with more information shortly.

FD

14 Arts Centre Film

The film Nae Pasaran has been chosen for this year’s film. This is likely to be shown in November, date TBC. FD will ask for the Amnesty logo to be included in the brochure.

FD

15 The Human Rights Act

It was agreed that Government proposals regarding the HRA should continue to be kept under review. Depending on the fallout from Brexit, it could become a major campaigning issue for the group.

All

16 Amnesty Barbecue LCPC

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It is planned to hold this at Lesley and Peter’s in August/early September. The possibility of a Sunday lunch time event (rather than Saturday evening) is being considered and will be confirmed before or at the July meeting. All supporters will be welcome.

Please note it will not take place if the weather is not suitable.

17 AOB

Cards were distributed for sending to the London Embassy calling on the Saudi Government to free the Saudi women activists who won the right to drive. (Follow the link to take part in the email action.)

An email action was circulated calling on the Minister of Justice and Minister of Interior, on behalf of the 14 women protesting against fascism and anti-Semitism in Poland. (Follow the link to take part in this action.)

PC circulated a suggested design for a replacement banner for the group. It was agreed that the strapline Campaigning for Human Rights around the world should be added. The cost will be £95 for a collapsible stand with a water base. PC will circulate the revised design and – subject to agreement – order a stand.

Salisbury members have been invited by the New Forest Group to attend a Garden Party on the afternoon of Friday 21st June. Contact Fiona at Donovan.fiona@gmail.com if you would like details.

The Carol Singing has been confirmed for the evening of Tuesday 17th December.

All

PC

FD

18 Forthcoming Events

Paul Mason’s Talk – new date TBC Coffee Morning – 7th September World Day Against the Death Penalty – 10th October Citizenship Day – TBC Evensong - TBC Arts Centre Film – November – date TBC 50th Anniversary of the abolition of the death penalty in the

UK – 16th December Write for Rights – TBC Carol Singing – 17th December

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Next Meeting: Thursday 11th July Time: 7.30 pm Venue: 4 Victoria Road

www.salisburyai.com www.twitter.com/salisburyai

Should you wish no longer to receive Minutes of meetings, or other communications from the Group, please let us know by emailing our Group Secretary at Donovan.fiona@gmail.com

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